GLOBAL NURSE

October – December 2023

ENGLAND

King hosts a reception to celebrate international nurses

Hundreds of nurses and midwives have celebrated their contribution to health and care, at a Buckingham Palace reception hosted by the King.

The event spotlighted the diversity of nurses and midwives in the UK and paid a particular tribute to the contribution of the internationally educated workforce.

The celebrations came as part of the NHS 75th anniversary, while also marking the King’s 75th birthday.

More than 400 nurses and midwives attended the reception, which concluded with a surprise birthday song, performed by the NHS choir.

During the event, the King met a selection of international nurses and midwives working across the four nations, including staff from India, the Philippines, Kenya, and Poland.

In addition, he spoke to refugee nurses and representatives from international nursing and midwifery associations.

Source: Nursing Times

INDIA

Indian Nursing Council issues regulations for nurse practitioners in midwifery (NPM) educator program

The Indian Nursing Council has rolled out comprehensive regulations for the much-anticipated Nurse Practitioner in Midwifery (NPM) Educator Program, set to revolutionize midwifery education nationwide. These regulations, slated to be effective upon official publication in the Gazette of India, signify a crucial step toward advancing the skills and expertise of registered nurses aspiring to take on pivotal roles as NPM educators.

The essence of this initiative lies in the belief that registered nurses require additional education and training to thrive as nurse practitioners in midwifery. With the healthcare landscape constantly evolving, nurses are stepping into expanded roles, and the program aims to keep them ahead of the curve.

Source: Nursing News India

350,000 +

nurses are needed to fill the
shortage of nurses in the
Philippines.

Source: Philippines Department of Health

51%

or more than 316,405 Filipino nurses
licensed to practice are working
overseas as of the year 2022.

Source: CBC

By 2030,

the global shortage of nurses is
estimated to reduce from the current
9 million to 7.6 million.

Source: World Health Organization

CANADA

CNO shares priorities with Canadian healthcare

CNO is leading regulatory change in Canada in lockstep with this country’s health system priorities. A recent meeting of federal, provincial, and territorial health Ministers outlined key shared priorities, including a national commitment to strengthen nursing health human resources. 

“In Ontario, the exciting work at CNO is vital to our shared priorities for the health care system,” said Silvie Crawford, CNO’s Executive Director and CEO. “Ontario is making changes that are making it more efficient than ever to register with CNO – a fundamental step for safe practice in Ontario.”

Nurses are an important part of the healthcare workforce, and CNO knows that many nurses who are educated outside of Canada have faced barriers to timely registration. That’s why regulatory and policy changes have been made to address challenges associated with the registration process for internationally educated nurses (IENs).

In less than two years, the Supervised Practice Experience Partnership has resulted in more than 2,500 new nurses working in Ontario’s system. This innovative new program with Ontario Health has been launched to help internationally educated applicants more efficiently meet two of the eight registration requirements.

Source: College of Nurses of Ontario

PHILIPPINES

Filipino nurses wanted in Canada

Many Canadian experts say Filipino nurses are essential to Canada’s health-care system, and make up a growing portion of regulated nurses in Canada. The best available data from the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI) shows about four per cent of regulated nurses working in Canada in 2021 graduated from the Philippines.

But that’s an undercount, as it doesn’t represent Filipinos who are trained as nurses but working in other health-care roles such as caregivers, said Ivy Bourgeault, a professor in University of Ottawa’s sociological and anthropological studies department. She’s also the lead of a group of health experts called the Canadian Health Workforce Network.

The pressure to leave their country comes at nurses from many angles, including encouragement from the Philippines government. The government also plays a substantial role in the recruitment of nurses.

The Philippines president calls overseas workers “modern-day heroes” for what they do for the country’s economy. Remittances from overseas workers are a substantial economic driver for the Philippines, accounting for about 10 per cent of their gross domestic product.

Source: CBC

158,430

nurses reported being
employed in Ontario
in 2023.

Source: CNO

178,184

Ontario nurses renewed at least one registration
certificate resulting in a net increase of 3.05%
registrants in 2023 as compared to 2022.

Source: CNO

55.8% to 43.3%

decrease in the
group of nurses aged 45-64
in Ontario, in 2023.

Source: CNO

USA

Biden-Harris administration pledges $100 million to support nursing workforce

The Biden-Harris Administration has announced they are giving $100 million in awards to train new nurses and grow the nursing workforce. Nearly $65 million will go to schools and education while the remaining $35 million will help licensed practical nurses become registered nurses.

This announcement comes from nationwide demand for more registered nurses, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and nurse faculty.

“Nurses are the frontline in delivering life-saving care and in keeping all of us healthy and well,” Health Resources and Services Administration Administrator Carole Johnson, said in a press release. “Today’s investments from the Health Resources and Services Administration demonstrate our ongoing commitment to supporting the nursing workforce, training and growing the next generation of nurses, creating career ladders for nurses, and recognizing the critical role nurses play in primary care, mental health care, and maternal health care.”

Source: NBC News

Testimonials from INSCOL Alumni

“I chose INSCOL because of its esteemed reputation in the nursing field. The whole process was very smooth, and the faculty is supportive in nature”.

Baljeet Kaur
Punjab, India
Nursing Leadership & Management
Seneca Polytechnic, Canada
Jan'24 intake

“Honesty, reliability, and kindness are the words that come to my mind about the services I received from INSCOL”.

Charmaine Geonzon Herrera
Cebu, Philippines
Nursing Leadership & Management
Seneca Polytechnic, Canada
Jan'24 intake

“In times when I was so doubtful, they were there pushing me back to focus and to keep trusting myself ”.

Leste Millicent Casas Alerta
Cebu, Philippines
Nursing Leadership & Management
Seneca Polytechnic, Canada
Jan'24 intake

Home of INSCOL

A Walkthrough of our Alumna, Lucy Mugo’s Experience of Studying & Working as an International Nurse in Canada.

Trained in Kenya, Lucy sought to diversify her nursing practice by pursuing experiences abroad. Initially considering Australia, she decided to take the IELTS exam for academic purposes. Following a connection through her IELTS trainer, she came into contact with a woman who had initially planned to go to Australia but chose Canada instead. Intrigued by this individual’s positive outlook on Canada, Lucy requested guidance on the process. The woman provided the contact details for INSCOL, stating how we are an organization with a genuine and straightforward approach. Lucy’s communication with our team began around October – November 2018 and proved to be prompt and dependable. She mentioned how team INSCOL provided comprehensive information and accommodated her by utilizing a preferred means of communication.

By January - February of 2019, Lucy received an acceptance letter from Niagara College. Free assistance from INSCOL during the student visa application process proved invaluable, as our team provided the list of necessary documents and guidance to ensure a smooth and successful application. Before this experience, Lucy had considered engaging with a third party for the visa process but found INSCOL's guidance sufficient for self-application. During this conversation, Lucy mentioned that previously, someone had requested a significant sum of money for the visa application process.

Home of INSCOL

At the time, Lucy was employed in Namibia away from her home country Kenya, which necessitated traveling to Nairobi for her visa application. Having held an acceptance letter from Niagara College for two months, she managed to secure time off from her employer in March 2019.

In less than four weeks, her visa was successfully processed, allowing her to join the May 2019 intake of the Community Mental Health Multidiscipline program at Niagara College in Canada. Lucy subsequently resigned from her job and made the necessary arrangements to travel to Canada.

Initially, navigating the bus routes in Canada proved challenging, given her prior exposure was limited to Kenya and Namibia. However, the presence of a supportive INSCOL team alleviated her concerns. Notably, during the NNAS application, assistance was required due to an issue with one of the English language skill criteria. Members from the INSCOL Canada team personally visited Niagara College and provided her with the necessary support for a successful application.

The programs Lucy completed at Niagara College in Canada were highly commendable, with faculty demonstrating dedicated support and offering counseling services to international students in need. The main challenge she faced was securing sufficient funds for the second nursing program. To address this, Niagara College provided her with a payment program that allowed her to make payments in installments, rather than a lump sum.

During her second program, which happened around the timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lucy was stuck in Kenya due to travel restrictions. Upon returning home in February 2020, she was locked down, and all flights to Canada were subsequently canceled. Originally intended to join the May 2020 intake, she had to defer her studies to the September 2020 intake.

One of the major concerns was the impending expiration of her study permit. Fortunately, in August 2020, Lucy successfully extended her study permit, enabling her to return to Canada and commence online classes before September 2020. Throughout this process, Lucy also obtained a new employment opportunity, along with her ongoing second program. By the time she finished her second program, Lucy had acquired her NNAS report and subsequently registered with the CNO. As a result, she received approval to prepare for the NCLEX-RN exam.

Obtaining her nursing license in Ontario was not a straightforward journey and required considerable patience to fulfill all the requirements through NNAS. However, her perseverance paid off, as she successfully obtained her nursing license and is now working as a Registered Nurse in Canada.

By sharing her story, Lucy aims to encourage those finding their journey challenging, emphasizing the value and rewards of undertaking such a path. She expresses no regrets about her journey and feels privileged to be able to practice nursing in Canada, a first-world country. This exposure has allowed her to see the healthcare system in Canada from a unique perspective, further enhancing her understanding. Concluding the conversation, Lucy encouraged others to embark on a similar journey, knowing that the effort invested would be worthwhile.

Home of INSCOL

Seneca Polytechnic Convocation Ceremony on 29th October 2023

Niagara College Convocation Ceremony on 26th October 2023

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